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Ministry of Labour Prosecution of Brockville Mental Health Centre Set to Begin Tomorrow

BROCKVILLE, ON, May 17, 2016 /CNW/ - The Ministry of Labour prosecution of Brockville Mental Health Centre is set to begin tomorrow.

The Ministry of Labour charged Brockville Mental Health Centre with five infractions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to protect its workers. The charges were laid by the Ministry of Labour in December 2014 and stem from an incident in 2014 when a nurse was stabbed multiple times by a patient.

"This employer has been resisting any pressure to take additional measures to keep our dedicated registered nurses and health-care workers safe while providing quality patient care," said Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "Nurses know that what's needed is additional supports and a new physical infrastructure in this facility to reduce the risk of violent attacks by patients. As nurses, we should never have to face violent attacks while providing the care our patients require."

In November, 2015, the employer lost a divisional court review of an application to quash a decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board in which it was ordered to have security guards on site to protect nurses. At that time, Haslam-Stroud noted that the employer should stop stalling and wasting taxpayers' money and instead devote the funds to preventing workplace violence.

The case is expected to take some time. Dates have been set for May 18-19 and May 25-26, with additional dates set aside in August and September.

"The days of ignoring violent attacks on the very nurses who are providing care are over," said Haslam-Stroud. "Violence is never acceptable in the workplace, and ONA will be watching carefully to ensure this employer is held accountable. Not only our RNs, but patients will be safer for it."

ONA is the union representing 60,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.